Azienda Agricola Montefioralle - Montefioralle UGA
VITAL STATS: Azienda Agricola Montefioralle
- Owner / Winemaker: Lorenzo Sieni
- Established: 1964
- Vineyard Area: 4 Hectares (approx. 10 acres)
- Total Annual Production: < 15,000 bottles
- Farming Practice: Certified Organic (since 2019)
- Elevation: ~400 meters a.s.l.
- Exposition: South-East (terraced)
- Primary Soil: Alberese (Monte Morello Formation clay-marl) and Pietraforte sandstone
Azienda Agricola Montefioralle: The Corton of Chianti
Sometimes you meet someone and you can’t quite place the face, but you know you’ve met before. Perhaps not in this current incarnation, but you’ve met. Lorenzo Sieni is one of these characters. He is a contemporary man, yet there is something timeless about him—the way he moves, and certainly the way he runs his family’s winery, Montefioralle.
Originally planted by his father in 1964, this estate is the classic example of a hobbyist vineyard gone pro. The land was owned by the church at the time of its planting, though it had been abandoned for some time. The Sieni family worked the earth and brought life back to a vineyard that has historical roots reaching as far back as the 14th century. While that ancient history is difficult to connect to today’s plantings, it is a testament to just how suitable this specific swath of east-facing hillside is for viticulture.
A Hidden, Handmade Estate
In the 1990s, after the local priest passed away, the church reassessed its stake in the village of Montefioralle and sold two hectares of land to Lorenzo’s father. This formed the core of the estate today. A few years later, a contiguous lot was purchased, with the final hectare of vines planted in 2016. I visited Lorenzo during the preparation for that planting and can attest to the remarkably thin topsoil and the immense amount of limestone here—limestone that fundamentally defines these wines.
This is a fairly isolated vineyard. There are neighbors, one of which remains planted in the traditional promiscuo style, with olive trees and grains breaking up the vines. It is a stark reminder that you are far from corporate interests, hidden away in a nearly forgotten, difficult-to-farm corner of Chianti Classico. And I mean truly hidden—the road to the estate from Greve practically starts inside someone’s house! You have to drive through a tunnel adjacent to a home just to get there.
Why I Call it "The Corton of Chianti"
That is a bold statement, I know. How am I going to back that up? Hopefully, by getting you to try this incredible wine, because I am confident you will understand the comparison after experiencing Montefioralle’s Chianti Classico Riserva for yourself.
Like the great wines of Corton in Burgundy, the secret is in the soil—or well under it, actually. It is limestone. Lots and lots of limestone. This imparts a remarkable finesse and firmness to the wines. The tannins here are ripe, lending the finish an addictive sapidity and salinity. Produced in tiny quantities—a trait unfortunately shared with most Corton, with only 2,900 bottles of the Riserva made—it is a rare find.
Winemaking & The Future of the UGA
Today, the winery is guided by the steady hand of Lorenzo Sieni. While the cellar has been updated and the 4 hectares of vineyards slowly expanded, the viticulture remains strictly organic (officially certified starting with the 2018 vintage).
Winemaking remains traditional and straightforward. Fermentation takes place in concrete, followed by malolactic conversion and natural clarification over the course of a year in stainless steel tanks. Finally, the wine is racked into barriques where it ages for two years. The use of barrique here is purely logistical; it is all old wood, leaving no trace of oakiness in the wine. For a small cantina dealing in tiny quantities, it simply makes sense.
The village of Montefioralle is as enchanting a place as you are likely to find in Italy. It is known today for its quaint medieval character, but as the Chianti Classico Consorzio continues its work defining the new Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA), I have no doubt that Montefioralle will be universally recognized as one of the great crus of the region. And no one has a better position within that cru than the Montefioralle estate itself.
You can taste that terroir in the glass. From the terrifically expressive nose—blending complex aromas of earth, aged leather, bright fruit, and high-toned floral spice—to the slight chew in the mouth before the limestone adds its ripping focus. This is a wine that grabs your attention while remaining finely textured and perfectly balanced. It is undeniable proof that Chianti Classico competes with the world's finest wines not through mass and richness, but through elegance and finesse.
Return to the Montefioralle UGA Guide
Montefioralle Chianti Classico
Chianti Classico Annata
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2020 Montefioralle Chianti Classico
A touch of older wood greets the nose followed by pretty ripe cherry and mulberry fruit which shows excellent purity. Moderately rich up front, then this tightens up considerably on the palate revealing a very deep, stony midpalate. The fruit is fairly dark, but also quite pure, fresh, and terrifically persistent through the long, gently tannic finish. Good transparency and excellent tension here with a long, powerful finish. A touch tough but I love the mineral and fruit flavor profile. 92 For additional vintage tasting notes please visit our Montefioralle Archive |
Montefioralle Chianti Classico Riserva
Chianti Classico Riserva
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2022 Montefioralle Chianti Classico Riserva
Nicely mineral on the nose with a fine underlay of older wood supporting a core of juniper and roasted beef framed small wild berry fruits. Smooth, almost lush, rich with good depth on the palate, but not weighty. This is a little powerhouse, it has terrific dark berry fruit and mineral cut on the palate, superb tannin integration, where the tannin fill the mouth but remain tucked under the fruit and a lovely finish where the fruit gains some bitter cherry nuances and a lichen covered rocky tone. This needs another 2-3 years in bottle and should age well for two decades, it’s rich, distinctive and deep with old veiny fruit. Delicious. 95pts For additional vintage tasting notes please visit our Montefioralle Archive |